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5 Reasons to Attend PodCamp Toronto 2014

Pod­Camp Toronto is touted as “Canada’s largest gath­er­ing of cre­ative, tech, and dig­i­tal pro­fes­sion­als.” The 2013 edition of this two-day unconference featured just shy of 60 different sessions with beginner, intermediate and advanced streams, so there was something for everyone to choose from.

2013 topics included: the art of storytelling, all about the Vine app, tips for lead generation

This being my fifth year attending PodCamp Toronto, I thought it would right to share my top five reasons to attend the annual event.

Photo Source: 2013.podcamptoronto.com

Why you should attend:

It’s free! (but a donation might be nice) – Considering the quality of speakers and access to information you’ll be getting, it’s amazing that this is a community-organized event. Though you can register and attend at no cost, feel free to donate some funds to help the organizing team offset the cost of the event. As a former WordCamp Toronto co-organizer, I know how expensive it is to put on a conference of this scale, so thanks to the sponsors and the community for chipping in to allow this great event to happen every year.

The content – The high caliber of speakers makes PodCamp a must-attend event. You’ll be getting access to a wealth of knowledge from industry leaders who want to contribute to the conversation within the community.

The networking! – There will be plenty of networking opportunities available throughout the weekend. Between sessions the hallways fill with people which make this one of the best times to shake hands with the CEO of a new startup or the head of digital strategy from a company you’ve been following. There’s always a party at the conclusion of day one where you’ll be able to extend the conversations you started during your first day of PodCamp.

It’s fun – PodCamp is more laid back than most paid conferences. Everyone for the most part is open-minded and ready to learn and listen to new ideas and you’re bound to meet some friendly new faces.

There’s something for everyone – Regardless of your background (marketing, pr, web development) or level of expertise, there really is something for everyone at PodCamp. The only downside is not being able to attend everything you want. Given the number and variety of sessions to choose from, research the schedule in advance so you can plan out your timetable. PodCamp uses the law of two feet. If you’re not getting much out of a session, get up and go to a different one.